Prince William and Kate’s first born child is on the way, and the world is waiting for the answer to the most important question: will it be a boy or a girl? The sex of the baby seems so important that people around the world have already been placing bets. But why is the baby’s sex so significant? Perhaps it is because of the gender roles attached to either sex, hence the desire to know if Kate will bear a prince or princess. It’s possible that knowing the sex is really the only thing we CAN know about the baby. And be cautious about the news headings stating “What will the gender of the baby be?!”
Having a penis or vagina refers to an individual’s sex; a person’s sex is their biological assignment at birth, and is marked by genitals and hormones. When Kate has her baby, we will automatically know the sex of the baby, but the gender is yet to be declared.
Having a room that’s blue or pink refers to gender. According to society, gender is the means by which a person is “supposed” to behave as a boy or girl; it’s the formation of socially acceptable behavior. Boys get toy soldiers in their kids’ meals, play in the dirt, and wear suits. Girls get toy dolls in their kids’ meals, like glitter, and wear dresses.
A person whose biological sex matches with socially preferred gender roles is referred to as Cisgender. People born with a penis do “boy things” and dress up in ties, while people born with vaginas do “girly things” and wear heels. These are the majority population, and they often don’t think much about their gender roles.
A person whose sex doesn’t match the socially ideal gender can be known as transgender, gender queer, a-gender, or gender non-conforming. A person born with a penis plays rough sports, but also likes glitter and dresses. A person who has short hair, skateboards, and body builds can also have a vagina. A common misconception is that people who are similar to these scenarios are people that live to defy gender roles, and all they want to do is make a statement. Transgender, gender queer, agender, and gender non-confirming folk aren’t trying to make a political statement, they’re just living freely the same way cisgender folk do. Cisgender folk are just not under the same microscope because they’re a majority population.
Sex and gender are much more complex than a doctor yelling “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a Girl!” Even though we only touched on being male or female, it’s important to note that there is more than just the gender binary. Think of it as freezing and boiling temperatures of water. These are the two most extremes for water, but they are temperatures between boiling and freezing temperatures. A person can identify a little as a boy, and a little as a girl. A person can also identify as neither gender, because they don’t feel confined to gender.
So let’s start asking other questions about the baby, like “Is the baby healthy?” or “Who does the baby take after?” No matter what sex the baby will come out to be, we must realize that what’s between the baby’s legs is not the defining aspect of this tiny individual.
– Cvidale
cccspeaks 